Pneumatic motor for mechanical musical instruments.



'Patbnted Oct. I4, I902,

(Application filed lept'. 1Q, 1901.\

2 Shanta-:Shat I.

(Nu Iodal.)

Indeni'of No. 7||,|5s. Patented Oct. I4, 1902-.

u. r. HALL. PNEUMATIQ MDTOR'FOR MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

, (Application filed se t. 12, 1901.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2,.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY FLETCHER HALL, OFCAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

PNEUMATIC MOTOR FORMECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 711,158, dated October14, 1902.

Application filed September 12, 1901. Serial No. 75,241. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LHENRY FLETCHER HALL, acitizen of the United States,residing at Cambridge, county of Middlesex, and State ofMassachusetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPneumatic Motors for Mechanical Musical Instruments; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in pneumatic motors for mechanicalmusical instruments and the like, and is more particularly adapted foruse in operating the musicsheet rolls of self-playing instruments.

The object of my invention is to provide a motor of the class specifiedhaving a rotary shaft connected to the several pneumatics, a rotaryvalve actuated by said shaft to connect the said pneumatics individuallyand successively with the main bellows and with. the atmosphere, agraduated tempo-slide in-' terposed between the rotary valve and themain bellows to produce even and uniform variations in the speed of themotor-shaft, a rewind mechanism for reversing the travel of themusic-sheet without changing the direction of rotation of the motor, andconnections between the rewind mechanism and the temposlide, wherebywhen said rewind is actuated the tempo-slide will be opened fully todrive the motor at its maximum speed to enable the rewindin g to beaccomplished at a greater speed than the unwinding.

The preferred form of my invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of the motor andappurtenant devices employed in connection with the music-sheet rolls ofan automatic musical instrument. Fig. 2 is a front elevation, partly insection, of the motor. Figs. 3 and 4 are transverse sections on lines 33 and 4 4, respectively, of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail View of therotary valve. Fig. 6 is a section on line 6 6, of Fig. 4.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawings, A represents a shelfor support on which the motor mechanism is mounted. It is of courseobvious that said shelf orsupport A may be attached to the instrument orapparatus to be actuated by standards or brackets of any approved orconvenient form. So cured adjacent to one end of the shelf A is a blockB, which in turn supports a channelblock 0, upon the top of which aremounted the bellows or pneumatics D, D, D and D Through the body of theblock 0 is a series of parallel channels at, d,d and (1 which are incommunication with the corresponding pneumatics D, D, D and D The block13 is provided with a series of channels 6, 6', e and c opening into thechannels d, (1, (Z and (Z respectively, in the block 0, and saidchannels 6, 0, c and e terminate in orifices opening through the side ofthe block B and circularly disposed with reference to a bearing 0, whichreceives the end of a crank-shaft I, said crank-shaft being journaled inan opposite standard 0, which supports the block 0. The block B is alsoprovided with a circular series of small orifices e, which are arrangedconcentric with the bearing. c and between it and the terminal orificeof the channels 6, c, 6 and c Said perforations a pass through the blockand establish communication between the cham ber H of the valve II andthe enlarged rectangularchamber E on the opposite face of the block 13,which chamber. is in communication with the wind chest or exhausterdesigned to operate the pneumatics D, D, D and D The several pneumaticsD, D, D and D are connected with cranks on the shaft I by pitment', 2',2' and i and as said cranks are regularly disposed on the shafts inquadrature it will be seen that as each pneumatic is exhausted it willimpart a rotary motion through its particular crank to the shaft.Secured to the shaft I is a circular valve I-I, engaging block B andhaving two cavities or recesses H H in its face, the former of whichrecesses is generally segmental in shape, with an annular extension 11embracing the central boss H of the valve, while the latter recess H isthat of a segment of an annulus and'isprovided with a series of orificesH As thevalve I-I rotates the larger recessed portion H connects thechannels leading to the several pneumatics D, D, D and D successivelywith the perforations e and thence, by way of the chamber E and outlet Gand connecting-pipe G, to the wind chest or exhauster.

The function of the smaller recess ,exhauster I provide atempo-regulator F,

which is, in effect, a throttle-valve and which comprises a thin flatplate preferably of vulcanite or indurated fiber which passes through asuitable slot in the end of block B and hasan air-tight seating betweentwo thin packing-strips f f which are preferably faced with felt orsimilar material to make an airtight joint with the slide. The valve Fis provided with a perforation F generally elliptical in form, whichcommunicates with a gradually-flaring longitudinal perforation F, asshown more particularly in Fig. 4.

Referring to Fig. 6, it will be observed that there is a slight spaceleft between the face of the throttle-valve or tempo-slide and theadjacent wall of chamber E, inwhich the orifices e terminate, and,further, that in the position shown communication is completely shut offbetween said channels 6 and the portion of the chamber E whichcommunicates with the outlet G. Upon withdrawing the tempo-slide theorifice or port F will pass beyond the seating-strips f f and establishcommunication between the pneumatics and the wind-chest. Further andsuccessive outward movement of the slide will gradually increase theamount of the opening F, which is interposed in the path of the air fromthe pneumatics to the exhauster, and thereby gradually and evenlyincrease the speed of the motor. A corresponding inward or closingmovement of the slide will produce a steady and gradual reduction of thespeed of the motor until the slide-is fully closed, when the motor willstop.

Fixed to the shaft I-is a sprocket I, which is geared to a correspondingsprocket on a counter-shaft I. Said shaft I is journaled at one end in abearing Kin such manner as to permit the shaft to have a slight verticalmovement about said bearing K. The opposite end of the shaft I isjournaled in a sliding plate P, which is secured to the standard K byscrews P P, which engage suitable slots in said plate P. To the end ofsaid shaft I is secured a pinion 1 which is normally held in engagementwith the driving-gear M of the usual take-up roll M. The plate P is heldin its elevated position to cause pinion I to engage gear I by means ofa flat spring T, which bears against the lower end of said plate P. Itwill thus be apparent that as the shaft I is rotated by the successiveexhaustion of the pneumatics D, D, D", and D it will impart a rotarymovement to the shaft 1 which'in turn actuates the take-up roll Mthrough the intermediate gearing, whereby the music-sheet is unwoundfrom the roll L onto said roll M in the ordinary and wellslide by a pin3.

known manner; A' second sprocket I is mounted upon the shaft I andisconnected by a sprocket-chain 1 to a small sprocketwheel J, looselymounted upon the stub-shaft J, which carries one end of the music-rollL. Secured to the face of the sprocket-wheel J is a clutch portion Jwhich is adapted to engage a mating portion J fast to said stubshaft J.An annular recess about said clutch member J 2 receives the fork o of ashifting lever O, which lever is pivoted at o to a bracket on thestandard K. Extending laterally from the lever O is a finger 0, whichengages the top of the slide P, so that when the lower end of the leverO is moved to the right the finger 0' will force the slide P downwardagainst the tension of spring T and disengage the pinion I from the gearM at the same time the clutch member J is moved to the left intoengagement with its mating member J and the roll L is actuated in adirection to rewind the music-sheet. The actuating means for theshifting lever 0 comprises a link Q and a lever B, pivoted at someappropriate point on the supporting mechanism, as at R, which lever Bterminates in a thumb-piece 0, extending above the shelf A.

For the purpose of operating the temposlide to regulate the speed of themotor, and consequently the time of the music, I provide a bell-cranklever S, which is pivoted to the shelf A at s and is connected to thetempo- The opposite end of the bell-crank lever S is provided with aprojecting pin S, which engages a slotted cam S and said cam isreciprocated'to rock the bellcrank S by means of a rod S whichterminates in a knob or handle S which is secured to the upturned end ofsaid rod S which passes through a suitable slot in the shelf A. As therod S is moved to the right the cam S engaging the pin S of thebell-crank lever S, causes said lever to move the tempo-slide in adirection to open the passage between the pneumatics and .the exhauster,as above described. Moving said. rod in the opposite direction will ofcourse have the eifect to gradually close the tempo-slide.

In order to increase the speed of the rewind mechanism over the maximumspeed of the take-up roll, I employ in addition to the multiplyingsprocket-gear I I, and J means for fully opening the tempo-slide whenthe rewind mechanism is thrown into operation and at the same timeestablishing a connection by way of said tempo-slide between thepneumatics and the main bellows or wind-chest. At B in Fig. 1 I haveshown a passage which leads directly to the main bellows or exhauster,which passage is closed when the motor is running normally-bya suitablevalve connected by the rods r r to the shifting lever B of the rewindmechanism. On the rod S I provide a pin or like projection S", whichlies in the path of the lever in the forward movement of the latter, sothat when said lever B is shifted to throw the rewind mechanism intooperation it engages the pin S and moves the rod S in a direction tofully open the tempo-slide and at the same time opens the valveconnected to the rods 1' 1- which establishes a communication throughthe passage B between the pneumatics l), D, D and D and the mainbellows, so that the motor is driven at a highly-increased speed duringthe rewinding of the musicsheet.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a pneumaticmotor for mechanical musical instruments and the like, the combinationof a main block havinga series of longitudinal channels therein, aseries of pneumatics mounted on one face of said block and communicatingwith said channels, a second block provided with a series of channelsforming continuations of said longitudinal channels and terminating inports opening in the side of said second block, a chamber in said secondblock connected with a wind-chest and having orifices adjacent to thesaid ports, and a rotary valve engaging the side of said second block tocontrol communication between the pneumatics and the Wind-chest.

2. In a pneumatic motor for mechanical musical instruments and the like,the combination of a main block having a series of longitudinal channelstherein, a series of pneumatics mounted on one face of said block andcommunicating with said channels, a second block provided with aseriesof channels forming continuations of said longitudinal channels andterminating in ports opening in the side of said second block, a chamberin said second block connected with a wind-chest and having orificesadjacent to the said ports, a shaft operated by said pneumatics, and arotary valve on said shaft engaging the side of said second block, saidvalve having an airinlet and a recess to connect the respectivepneumatics with the atmosphere and with the wind-chest successively.

3. In a pneumatic motor for mechanical musical instruments and the like,the combination of a main block having a series of longitudinalchannels, each opening through the top of said block at one end andthrough the bottom of the block at the other end, a series of pneumaticson the top of said block and communicating with the longitudinalchannels, a second block secured at right angles to the main block andhaving a series of channels connecting with the channels in the mainblock and terminating in ports in the side of said second block, a shaftoperated by said pneumatics and having a bearing centrally disposed withrespect to said ports, said second block also having a chamber connectedto a wind-chest and a series of orifices opening through its sidebetween the shaft-bearing and the ports, and a rotary valve on saidshaft engaging the side of said second block to control communicationbetween the pneumatics and the wind-chest.

4. In a pneumatic motor for mechanical musical instruments and the like,the combination of a block having longitudinal airpassages, a series ofpnenmatics on one side of said block communicating with said passages, asecond block having channels communicating with said passages andterminating in lateral ports in said second block, said second blockalso having a chamber connected to the wind-chest and opening throughthe second block adjacent to the said ports, a rotary shaft operativelyconnected with said pneumatics, a valve on said shaft having a recessand an air-inlet in its face engaging the side of said second blockadapted to suecessively connect said pneumatics with the wind-chest andwith the atmosphere, alternately, and a regulator-slide in said secondblock controlling the flow of air to said Windchest.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

H. FLETCHER HALL. Witnesses:

FRANK E. RILEY, EDWARD L. RAND.

